Beauty and the Beasts
by Akai-Pyon
Summary: Sawada Tsunako is just a young girl on an errand. So, how did she end up kidnapped by the Beasts? Fem!Tsuna, my very, very twisted version of Beauty and the Beast. PenName has changed. Akai no Kumo has become Akai-Pyon. ON HOLD!
1. Introducing the Beauty

**Beauty and the Beasts**

**Summary: **Sawada Tsunako is just a young girl on an errand. So, how did she end up the savior of the Beasts?? Fem!Tsuna. Pairings inside.

**Pairings: **All27, one-sided D27 in the beginning. There will eventually be something-27, but we'll see as the story goes.

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, KHR belongs to me as much as apples are similar to broccoli. As in, not at all.

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**1: Introducing the Beauty**

"Tsuuu-chaaannn~~"

A rather energetic brown haired woman burst into the small room that belonged to her daughter, seeing the lump in the bed and the few strands of dark brown hair that peered out from underneath the homemade covers. She crossed the messy room, where plush animals lay abandoned on the floor, and books lay with their spines facing the ceiling, thrown into the corners or on the bed, or under the bed. The woman made her way skillfully through this labyrinth and reached down to shake the girl in the covers once again.

"Come on, Tsu-chan, Uncle Reborn wants you to run some errands again. Oh, and breakfast is ready. Lambo and I-Pin are over for breakfast again so if you want something to eat, you better hurry~" Sawada Nana smiled, before firmly shaking her daughter once again and then picking her way out of the room.

Sawada Tsunako, called Tsuna by everybody, blearily blinked open her soft chocolate brown eyes, her lips forming an O as she yawned, stretching her slender arms above her head and stretching out her full five foot frame in the soft bed. She rolled over, misjudging, once again, the distance she had to the end of the mattress.

With a loud _thump _and a squeal of pain, Tsuna landed on the floor, wincing as she rubbed the back of her head. With a sigh, the clumsy fifteen year old stood up, her nightgown brushing her knees as she padded, barefoot, to the pale orange dress draped over the back of a simple wooden chair that faced a loom with a half-finished piece of cloth on it.

Tsuna touched the thin fabric with her delicate fingers, running a hand through her hair with her free hand. Glancing quickly at her reflection in the bucket of water that stood under the leak in her roof, she tied back the long parts that draped over her shoulder with a ribbon, making the spiky parts in the front behave with said collected rain water.

After pulling on the pale orange dress, which was a favorite of hers, and a white apron with a smudge in the corner, Tsuna headed for the kitchen, still rather tired.

From all the way down the hall, she could hear the banging of wooden bowls on the table, as the shrieking voice of the child that lived not too far down the road called for more food. This shrieking voice was followed by a higher-pitched, but reprimanding, "Lambo, bad!"

Tsuna smiled tiredly. A girl's work was never done. Turning the corner into the kitchen, she spotted her mother stirring a pot over the fire, as Lambo shouted once again and fell forward onto the table as I-Pin smacked him with her hand. The child, with a thick head of black hair and golden cow horns, began to cry.

Despising the noise the child was making, Tsuna rushed over, trying to calm down the young five year old. Glancing up, she saw her uncle watching her with an amused eye.

"At least help," Tsuna muttered, patting the top of Lambo's afro rather awkwardly. I-Pin, who sat patiently, got to her feet, the top of her head barely breaching the table, even on the chair.

"Tsuna-chan is nice. Lambo and I will go play," I-Pin announced, grabbing the hand of the other child and leaping off her chair, dragging the other with her. Various items fell out of Lambo's hair and Tsuna grimaced. She sat down at the table, putting her head on her arms.

Suddenly, Reborn threw a rock-hard raisin at Tsuna. "I need you to go to town and buy these from Dino's shop," Reborn said, throwing a list tied with a thin yellow ribbon in Tsuna's direction. It landed in front of the girl, after doing several tricks in the air. Reborn watched with an expressionless face as Tsuna read the entire list. "Oh, and I need you to deliver them to Collonello."

"You can do it right, Tsu-chan?" Nana smiled as she placed a bowl and a plate in front of her daughter.

Tsuna sighed. This was going to take her the entire day. Reborn's best friend, Collonello, lived way far deep in the woods. "Yeah, I can do it," she muttered, knowing full-well what was going to happen if she didn't. Eating the food her mother had made her in silence, Tsuna quickly scanned the list again.

_This is a lot of stuff..._She worried. _How am I going to carry it all?_

"Oh," Reborn spoke up again, his eyes watching his niece as he gauged her reaction. Sometimes, Tsuna believed, Reborn enjoyed watching her suffer. Yet Nana refused to believe a word of it. "And don't you dare peek at what I'm about to give you. Or you know what's going to happen." Reborn smirked and Tsuna shuddered delicately as she accepted the small box her uncle gave her.

Tsuna smiled warily as she pulled on her cloak and slipped the list and package into the pockets. "Jaa, ittekimasu(1)." She said as she stood up.

"Itterasshai(2)!" Nana called out. A few moments of silence passed after the door shut behind Tsuna, silence Nana filled with gentle humming. Reborn stood up then, stretching his long limbs.

"I'm headed out as well," he said. "I might not be back for dinner." The lean man's eyes shone rather mischievously as he left the house. Nana, however, shrugged it off and returned to preparing lunch. Lambo and I-Pin would be hungry.

In town now, Tsuna slowed down her pace, enjoying the sounds of the busy morning, as vendors displayed brightly colored fruits and delicious smelling pies. However, she knew it was just stalling. She didn't enjoy going to Dino's shop very often, mainly because the shop owner seemed to have what some might call a crush on the young Tsunako. Dino, a tall, handsome blue-eyed blond, was always offering Tsuna discounts and flirting lightly with her every time she stepped into the store.

Dino was the small village's sweetheart, the heartthrob of every girl in the town. It was because of this affection the blond felt towards Tsuna that had made the fifteen year old girl the center of sharp remarks and jeers as she passed through the streets, attempting to remain undetected.

Like always, she was unsuccessful.

"Oh look, it's Dame Tsuna(3)!"

"Going to fall into the fountain again, Dame Tsuna?"

"You're so mean, blowing off poor Dino-sama…"

Tsuna flinched, knowing full well that those words were always true. Wasn't it just two days ago that she had tripped over a chicken and fallen into the fountain? If that hadn't been bad enough, the last time she had seen Dino, he had thrown an arm over her shoulder and she had blushed such a deep red and become so flustered that she had nothing better to do than run away.

With another depressed sigh, Tsuna entered the shop that belonged to Dino. The blond, seated behind the counter reading a book, looked up the moment the small bell tinkled.

"Ah, it's Tsu-chan~" Dino grinned, stepping off his stool and promptly tripping and landing on the top of the wooden counter. One of his workers, Romario, ran out of the back room, shaking his head slightly when he saw what had happened to his boss.

"Ah, ohayou gozaimasu(4), Tsunako-san," Romario bowed quickly, before he took a seat in a chair not far away from Dino. Smiling sheepishly, the taller blond turned his attention onto the young fifteen year old.

"What can I do for you today, Tsu-chan?" Dino said, ignoring his other customers.

"I-I just need everything on this list," Tsuna stammered, handing over the slip of paper. Dino scanned it and smiled slightly.

"It's all for Reborn, isn't it," he stated matter-of-factly. "You just wait right there. I'll be back with everything you need, for one low price of ten silver pieces."

"N-No, please don't do that, Dino-san!" Tsuna protested, holding her hands in front of her, her fingers shaking.

Tsuna sighed, knowing her protests were useless. Just then, the bell tinkled once again and a young boy entered, a hat over his blue-gray-green hair, said hair covering one of his light blue eyes. He was dressed rather strangely, with a long pale brown cloak that had frayed edges. The edges dragged along the dusty floor of the shop as the boy, a little shorter than Tsuna, walked over to Romario.

"The usual," he said with a rather strange accent. Romario, noticing the boy, smiled.

"You got it, Basil," the employee stood up and followed his boss to the back room. All the other customers had left already, knowing that their needs were not going to be fulfilled as long as Tsuna was in the shop, so it was now just Tsuna and the boy.

Basil, as Tsuna guessed was the name of said boy, looked rather calm, standing with his hands clasped on something inside of his cloak and his eyes never straying from the closed door that led to the back room.

"U-Um," Tsuna spoke up slightly and the boy turned around, eyes widening. "Are you new to town?" Tsuna said quickly, before she lost her courage.

Basil grinned briefly. "Nope," Basil said brightly. "I live in the woods, with my mentor. Name's Basil by the way," he held out his hand and Tsuna took it. The door opened again, this time by a huge wind that blew through the center of the village, scattering fruits and vegetables and Basil's cloak lifted up. Quickly though, he managed to get it back under control, but not before Tsuna spotted what seemed to be a fluffy white tail underneath the cloak.

Perplexed, because she knew about animal-people from Reborn, Tsuna wondered why Basil was hiding it. Then, she remembered. They were called Beasts, a race different from humans. They were cursed beings, forced to live, secluded from humans, with animal traits that made it difficult for them to fit into society. Tsuna knew that they originated from a man named Giotto, who was rumored to have done something to displease a witch of the past. She had cursed him, and all his friends (who had been with him at the time) and now, the race had grown.

Except yet, at the same time, they were rarely seen. They were a secretive people, tending to keep to themselves and those they considered their friends. But, it was also rumored that anybody that wondered too far into the woods, and into their territory, would get kidnapped and never returned until a specific thing was accomplished. Usually, the Beasts never even told anybody what the specific thing was.

Basil, now realizing what Tsuna had seen, and seeming to recognize the young girl as something much more than just a girl, grabbed Tsuna's hand. "Sorry Romario!" he called over his shoulder just as the black-haired mustached man appeared once again. "I have to do something!"

Tsuna, stumbling behind the fast running rabbit Beast, felt a few moments of panic rush through her head before she was pulled into the woods. Her feet couldn't keep up with the speed of Basil's rabbit-like legs, and she tripped over a root, flying head over heels down a ravine as Basil just simply sledded down, his cloak flapping in the wind behind him. His hat flew off and light brown rabbit ears were revealed to the world.

Tsuna's fall was stopped by a bush, and she lay there for a few moments, spitting out leaves, dirt and pebbles as she sat up slowly, brushing off dirt from her dress. "What was that for?" she demanded.

Basil seemed to ignore her however, answering only with a simple, "Please forgive me. But this is important." He fished a whistle out of his cloak and blew into it, a shrill bird-like call.

And then, they waited.

While they waited, Basil explained the current situation.

Because Tsuna had seen that Basil was a Beast, it was his duty that he made sure she never told anybody there was a group of them living in the woods just outside the village. Tsuna frowned, wondering why they had to go to such extreme measures to make sure she stayed silent. Basil didn't bother to explain that, only saying that it was because something similar had happened last time and it hadn't ended so well for the Beasts.

Tsuna sighed, rubbing her bruised arm. Her apron was beyond saving, as it was now stained with dirt and as brown as her hair, which had as many things sticking out of it as Lambo did.

She didn't try to run away though, because she already knew how fast Basil could go. And besides, her knees stung and the ravine was _steep_.

She hugged her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth slightly. Suddenly, Basil's ears perked up and he stared at one specific spot between two trees.

Two boys appeared, one a silverette, the other black-haired. The silverette surveyed Basil with wary eyes as the other approached cautiously, black dog-like ears pressed back against his head.

He sniffed the air and then relaxed. "It's alright," he said cheerfully, directing the statement at the still obviously tense silverette. "It's just Basil and the human. There's nobody following them and we weren't followed either."

"She's a human," the silverette muttered, tearing off viciously what seemed to be a rather strange piece of bamboo. The stick he was eating from was red, after all. As far as Tsuna could remember, bamboo was green.

"Basil, are you sure it's her this time?" the black-haired one asked. "You've brought us nine others and none of them have been right."

Basil grinned. "I'm positive this time," he said. "She talked to me first."

"Don't you just usually grab the first girl you see wearing an orange dress?" the silverette accused, shaking his head as some of his silver hair got into his face.

"No!" Basil retorted, sticking out his tongue.

"Maa, maa, futari doumo(5)…" the black-haired one chuckled quietly. "Let's give off a good first impression!"

_Good first impression? It's too late for that!! _Tsuna thought-shouted, panicking on the inside. Maybe…since they were all distracted…she could just sneak away…

The silverette rolled his eyes, before pulling a stick of orange bamboo out of the bag he wore on his back. His olive green eyes surveyed the human with animosity and Tsuna froze. There was something about this guy's glare that kept her rooted to the spot.

The silverette lifted his hand and Tsuna winced, not knowing what to expect. However, he dropped his hand and a piece of orange bamboo landed lightly in her lap. Tsuna looked down, a little perplexed. What was she supposed to do with this piece of orange bamboo? It wasn't like she was going to eat raw bamboo!

"Eat it," the silverette seemed to be capable of reading Tsuna's mind, telling her to do exactly what she did _not _want to do.

Tsuna blinked. "Eh?" she said, very, very confused. The silverette crossed his arms, bushy ringed tail fluffing out behind him, rounded red-brown ears twitching in annoyance.

"Eat it," he repeated.

Tsuna, really worried now, although knowing she had nothing else she could do, did as she was bid, biting down onto the tip of the bamboo. She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting something horrible to happen. However, nothing did. The only thing that did happen was a burst of energy through her body.

She took another bite, rather enjoying the feeling.

"She's the one, alright," the black-haired boy grinned broadly. "I'm Yamamoto, by the way,"

Tsuna nodded slowly, when she suddenly felt herself being pulled to her feet by a rather warm hand. The previously animistic boy was grinning at her now, his olive eyes alight with a new fire. "Gokudera at your service, Tenth," he said with a big grin.

"G-Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna smiled uncertainly, now completely confused, lost, and rather frightful. There was something feral in the dark green eyes that bored holes in her forehead.

Yamamoto appeared behind Gokudera then, gripping the other boy's shoulder with his hand, while laughing. He cast Gokudera a warning eye when he thought the girl wasn't looking, and Gokudera growled low under his breath. "What's your name, by the way?" Yamamoto chuckled, pulling back Gokudera.

"T-Tsunako…" the girl stammered. "What's happening?" she squeaked in fright, as Yamamoto pulled her onto his back.

"We'll be taking care of you from now on," Yamamoto announced. "Thanks for all the hard work, Basil," he nodded at Gokudera and the silverette rolled his eyes, tossing five sticks of blue bamboo tied together by a red ribbon at Basil. The rabbit caught them easily and nodded before darting away into the forest.

"W-Where are we going?" Tsuna stammered as Yamamoto began to run. She thought he had left the silverette behind, when she spotted the bright silver hair in the trees, keeping pace with them. "And what do you want with me??"

"All will be explained, Tsunako," Yamamoto's voice was rather ominous.

* * *

So…What's going to happen to poor Tsunako-chan? Who knows? XD

Oh, and this was originally going to be a really cracky crack-fic, but it might actually be somewhat serious, haha. Anyhow, it's kinda cracky. Cause I'm pretty sure some of the characters are really OOC.

I'm sorry!! *slams head into ground repeatedly*

Hibari: *appears randomly* Flamers will be bitten to death, because flamers are just herbivores that need to be punished.

Mukuro: Kufufu~ So violent, Hiba-pii~~

Gokudera: ..... Oi! What are you doing here???

Akai: Huuu... I was about to ask you guys the same thing. =.=

Yamamoto: Remember to review! Haha!

**Japanese-English glossary:**

(1): Jaa, ittekimasu – Then, I'm leaving

(2): Itterasshai – See you!

(3): Dame Tsuna – No good Tsuna

(4): Ohayou gozaimasu – Good morning

(5): Maa, maa futari doumo… – Now, now, you two…


	2. Introducing the Beasts

**Beauty and the Beasts**

*drumroll* It's time for…the Reader Appreciation Corner! Let's welcome our special guest this week………………………….SAWADA TSUNAKO! *waves flags*

Tsuna: H-Ha…Konnichiwa, minna-san(1)!

Me: So, first off, I would like to thank the 200+ readers I got the first day. *cheering in background* Never knew this story would be so popular. *sweatdrops*

Tsuna: *reading off a list* Eto…The author would like to **thank x3iLoveAnime.**, **First Lady Lestat**, **Snippets of the Dream Catcher, ****MakInAxAlicE**, **Dolphin River **and **Hailene.x**for reviewing.

Me: Thanks to **Snippets of the Dream Catcher**, **Kirino Tsuki**, **MakInAxAlicE**, **Viviene**, **xKawaii-Neko-ChanX **and **ChibiChaos Mage of Chaos **for making this story a favorite.

Tsuna: And lastly but not least, to **..x.**, **Dark Queen Helba**, **Kyurengo**, **Matron**, **SeiryuNoAme**, **Snippets of the Dream Catcher**, **Hailene.x**, **Dolphin River**, **Jayungo** and **NeoGene **for putting this story on story alert!

Me: Well, that's it for this week's Reader Appreciation Corner. This story is going to be updated weekly! Haha, except it hasn't been a week since the first chapter, but I think posting the new chapter on Saturday should be weekly enough.

Tsuna: But if the author doesn't keep to her promise…

Me: Please don't hurt me! *hands above head*

Tsuna: And now, for the disclaimer!

Me: KHR is not mine. T.T

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**2: Introducing the Beasts**

"Ah, here we are!" Yamamoto chuckled as he set down the petrified teenager. Tsuna, her hair filled with all manner of leaves, scrambled off the dog Beast's back, her arms weak and trembling from the wild ride through the forest. But she had to admit, she enjoyed the feel of the Beast's smooth back underneath her and the feel of his sun-warmed hair against her cheek.

Quickly, she mentally slapped herself. He was a Beast. Beasts were dangerous. With this thought in mind, she picked her head up to survey her surroundings. They had arrived at the edge of a large meadow, although they were still in the trees. The sun, bright and warm in the pale blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds, lit up the flowers in the meadow, as they waved softly in the gentle breeze that wrapped around them.

In the distance, she could hear the faint sounds of metal upon metal, as well as a soft creepy laugh. Yamamoto and Gokudera exchanged weary glances before Tsuna was swept up once again, this time by the silver haired one that she still hadn't decided the type of. Was he a raccoon? Or perhaps something more exotic. He ate bamboo after all.

Lost in her musings, Tsuna never seemed to realize that Gokudera was carrying her bridal style, as they were now traveling on a much smoother path. They never walked out into the sunny meadow, however, much to Tsuna's disappointment. The shade in the trees was starting to make her cold. She shivered slightly and squeaked softly when she felt Gokudera's arms tighten. With this, she noticed her predicament and could not help but blush deeply. However, the silverette didn't seem to notice her discomfort. He continued on, his eyes focused doggedly on the path, his breathing even.

They arrived at a very, very, very, _very _large tree and Tsuna was allowed back on her feet. She craned her head back, trying to see the top, but she couldn't. She stumbled backwards, having overextended and fell. Yamamoto, who had been right behind them, caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Be careful, Tsunako-san," he said with a bright grin.

"Oi! Shimagu(2)! Open the door!" Gokudera's sharp voice startled Tsuna. He didn't have a bad voice, Tsuna decided, getting over her initial fear of the Beasts. _They haven't tried to eat me yet, at least…_But then again, perhaps it was too soon to be forming opinions.

"THAT'S EXTREMELY RUDE! SAY IT NICER AND I MIGHT RECONSIDER!" An equally gruff and loud voice replied to the shout given off by Gokudera. The silverette rolled his eyes as Yamamoto took his turn at bat, with a broad and easy grin on his face.

"You don't even know what the fuck 'reconsider' means!" Gokudera shouted back. Tsuna flinched. The silverette sure had a foul mouth.

"Haha, come on, senpai(3)! We need to come inside!" Yamamoto laughed loudly once again and Tsuna jumped as the bark on the tree split down the middle, creaking open to reveal a set of stairs leading downwards.

"THAT'S MORE LIKE IT! TO THE EXTREME, YAMAMOTO!"

"SHUDDUP!" Gokudera shouted back, storming down the stairs. Yamamoto, laughing, took Tsuna by the wrist and started leading her into the entrance. There was a strange musky smell within the trunk, but it wasn't disgusting. In fact, it was earthy and rather homely.

As soon as Tsuna entered the tree, the "door" closed behind her and she turned around, blinking in surprise. The tunnel went dark briefly and Tsuna froze, afraid of tripping and tumbling down what suddenly seemed to be very, very steep stairs. She felt a gentle tug on her wrists, but Tsuna violently shook her head, then remembering Yamamoto couldn't see her. To compensate, she made a small noise of refusal and she felt the tug on her wrist stop as Yamamoto sensed her panic.

Slowly, along the wall, multi-colored mushrooms began to glow. Pink, orange, blue, yellow, green, purple and every color in between lit up the tunnel. Some of them were even pulsing, casting strange flashes of light against the smooth inside of the bark. Yamamoto turned around, smiling a little when he saw the rapt look of shock on Tsuna's face.

She was in awe, amazed that anything like this was possible. _If the Beasts can come up with something like this…_she thought as she took a step slowly, not wanting to leave the warm glow of the mushrooms. _Then where did the belief that they were ferocious creatures come from?_

"Oi! Yamamoto! Hurry up!"

"Haha, coming, Gokudera!" Yamamoto chuckled and began to pull Tsuna down the stairs. She stumbled on a few steps, but managed to catch her footing once again as they began to race down the winding steps. With each step, the air got cooler, with each step, the mushrooms grew brighter as they descended further and further underground. With each step, she got further and further away from home and she felt a pang of fear.

But then again…she didn't know what the Beasts wanted, after all. Maybe they just wanted to show her where they lived and then they'd send her back! Yeah, that was it!

_We must be near the center of the earth by now, _Tsuna mused as she began to feel her legs grow numb with the cold air. Yamamoto seemed as lively as ever, grinning broadly as he led her on.

When they finally reached the end, it was into a large room, lit up by lamps and the mushrooms from the staircase. There were two people in the room, one was Gokudera and the other was a tall, muscular boy with short white hair and big brown eyes, as well as a thick tail behind him and a pair of pointed ears.

He had his hands near his face, his arms bandaged, and he wore nothing but a pair of loose fitting pants, a belt tied around his waist to keep them up.

"Stop ignoring me to the extreme!" he was shouting at Gokudera, who looked up, spotted Tsuna, and broke into a wide smile.

"Have some respect!" Gokudera turned around as he took a hold on Tsuna's free hand. That's when the girl realized Yamamoto had yet to release her. His hand was warm and comfortable, she decided, while Gokudera's was firm, yet gentle at the same time. She noticed he had quite slender fingers, adorned with many silver rings, but she quickly pulled herself back to the present to examine the rest of the room.

Lamps hung from the high ceiling, while mushrooms protruding from the walls showered the place in a colorful glow. There was furniture in the room as well, wooden chairs and very comfortable looking plush chairs by a fire-less fireplace.

The cushions on the plush chairs were different; there seemed to be several of every color, and even a few with many, many different colors on them. From her position, Tsuna could see a hallway that extended and curved around a corner, with light flooding into it, meaning there were rooms that came off that hallway. She craned her head and noticed a small kitchen as well, with a small stove and a well.

"Don't be too greedy with her, now, Gok-kun~"

Tsuna shuddered delicately, as the voice that came from one of the dark corners of the room reached her. From the shadows, a slender blue haired male stepped forward. _Are there only guys in this place? _Tsuna thought, suddenly worried for her safety. But from the way she could see Gokudera stiffen, and the fierce look that Yamamoto suddenly had, Tsuna had a feeling that this wasn't what it was about.

But what did this stranger mean by greedy?

"Be quiet, Pineapple-head," Gokudera said, his voice rather low and threatening, his grip on Tsuna's wrist tightening. The brunette winced slightly and she immediately felt the fingers around her wrist loosen.

"You people are crowding."

A fourth boy appeared on the scene, from the hallway, his black hair overshadowing his eyes, a pair of dark cat ears pressed backwards in annoyance as a slender black tail lashed with anger. The light glinted off the weapons the boy had in his hands and Tsuna backed up, recognizing this boy as dangerous.

"Kufufu~. So eager to dance, Hiba-pii?" the bluenette chuckled, holding out his hand at his side as a trident suddenly appeared in his grip, smoke and mist forming the handle.

"Don't fight here, you two," Gokudera released Tsuna's hand and walked forward, his eyes flashing, ears and eyes twitching. "If you're going to fight, at least do it outside. Didn't you guys already fight today anyway?" he rolled his eyes before pulling two sticks of bamboo out of the bag he never seemed to let out of his sight.

"W-what's going on?" Tsuna blinked rapidly, as both the black haired boy and the bluenette relaxed, accepting the bamboo from the silverette.

"Oh, this is normal," Yamamoto laughed, also releasing Tsuna's hand. "Hibari and Mukuro don't seem to get along very well until Gokudera gives them their afternoon treat, haha!"

"Treat?" Gokudera narrowed his eyes, while Yamamoto chuckled.

"A-Ano…Yamamoto-kun…Who's who?" Tsuna asked quietly, completely confused. She assumed that the two fighting were Hibari and Mukuro, but which one was which?

"The one with the bandages around his arms is Ryohei; he's a kangaroo. The blue haired one with the pineapple hairstyle is Mukuro. He's an owl. Hibari's the one that just disappeared down the hallway and he's a cat. You already met Gokudera, and he's a red panda raccoon thing. Even he's not sure. I know; strange, right?" This last comment earned Yamamoto a piece of sharpened bamboo thrown at his head, which he easily ducked while laughing.

Tsuna smiled weakly, a little overwhelmed. These boys seemed to have a strange family relationship. No, she wouldn't really call them a family. Right now, they were just Beasts who happened to be living in the same place at the same time, with knowledge of who went where at what time and what happened when.

Briefly, Tsuna contemplated running back up the stairs and back to the village, but then she felt someone's arm on her shoulder. It was Mukuro, she realized, upon seeing the flash of blue hair in her vision. He was tall, much taller than her, but his arm rested comfortably on her slender shoulders. He leaned his head down, and that's when Tsuna noticed his eyes were mismatched. The right one was red, while the left was blue.

"Would you like some tea, Tsunako-chan?" he said, smiling.

"S-sure…" Tsuna stammered, allowing herself to be directed to one of the chairs at the round table in the center of the room. Mukuro then motioned to Gokudera to get them tea, a command the silverette ignored. He stalked down the hallway in the same direction as Hibari, continuing to ignore Ryohei, who kept following him. Yamamoto had disappeared off into the kitchen and Tsuna could hear him rummaging around for food as her stomach rumbled softly.

It must have been hours since she left home this morning. She looked around, wondering if there was some place she could see the surface. As if reading her mind, Mukuro smiled slightly. "Down the hallway at the very end, there's a room where you can see the sun. It's quite far down, but there are windows and lamps to light the way. The place is built on the side of a cove."

"There's a cove near the village?" Tsuna blinked, very surprised.

Mukuro nodded, pressing the tips of his fingers together as he leaned back in his chair. "Hmm...The loud one brought back a deprived child this time," his eyes closed as he smiled rather dangerously. "Perhaps I should enlighten you, my dear?"

Tsuna shifted so she was sitting on the far end of her chair, before jumping to her feet.

"N-No, it's fine," she said before scampering away, her heart pounding. Glancing behind her, she met Mukuro's eyes and the bluenette smirked. There was something about this Mukuro guy that freaked her out. As she raced down the hall, she began to wonder how the Beasts had managed to do this.

The structure underground was surely the work of something other than just bare hands. The hallway was a perfect arch, with lamps positioned exactly five steps from each other all the way down the winding path. The dirt underneath Tsuna's feet was firm and packed; there was no fear of falling here.

As she walked, she peered through the various doors, not daring to go in quite yet. She didn't want to provoke the wrath of her kidnappers. But were they really her kidnappers? They acted too kind to her to want to eat her.

Walking helped calm her nerves, and allowed her a chance to muse. Briefly, she wondered if there could be anyway to dig herself out of the hole, but from what she could tell, the only exit was through the main room and the tree. As long as Mukuro was in that room…Tsuna flinched, not wanting to think about it. "He's a pedophile," Tsuna muttered under her breath as she walked, still peering into rooms.

So far, she had seen a library where Gokudera was, glasses slipping off his nose as he flipped through several thick volumes, a room where Ryohei was repeatedly punching a sand bag, an empty dojo that extended into a small cave with many different kinds of the glowing mushrooms, several bedrooms, a very bright and colorful bamboo garden, and quite a few bathrooms. She had also seen a pond with steam floating on the edge and she sighed, wishing she could relax in the pool.

But as she peered into the last room before the hallway opened up into the sunroom at the end, she noticed it was arranged like an office. There was a couch pushed to the right, facing a shelf of books, while a large wooden desk was facing towards the door and away from the big window behind it. Tsuna felt her breath catch in her throat as she caught sight of the ocean. Running forward and nearly tripping on the carpet on the ground, the girl pressed her face against the thick glass, her breath fogging her vision as she looked down.

The cliff extended into a cove, and there were rock walls all around her. Across from where she was standing, she could see another window. _So this place extends even to there…_She breathed a soft sigh of amazement. Beasts were clearly misunderstood. Their knowledge of underground architecture was unmatched, and from what she had seen so far (which wasn't all that much…) they were pretty human.

"What are you doing in my office?"

A flat, emotionless voice startled the brunette. She whirled around, her brown eyes meeting cold blue-gray eyes.

"Kamikurosu(4)." Hibari hissed, silver tonfas in hand.

* * *

Okay, so it's not quite as long as last time. And most of it is just me talking. Oh well~

And I apologize for leaving you at a cliffhanger. But if I kept writing, it would be too long!

Anyway, keep up the reviews and the favorites, because they make me happy!

Er, and yes, this story is not quite like Beauty and the Beast, because there's too many different characters that doesn't fit the characters in the Disney classic. But it's kind of the same, you know…Like…Tsuna gets kidnapped…and is being kept prisoner…

Yes, Mukuro is quite creepy. I apologize to Mukuro fans. *bows*

Suggestions are always welcome! And flamers will get a healthy dose of di-hydrogen monoxide! Heehee. Until next week~

**Japanese - English glossary**

(1) Konnichiwa minna-san! - Hello, everybody!

(2) Shimagu - Turf-top

(3) Senpai - Respectful way of addressing upperclassmen.

(4) Kamikurosu - I'll bite you to death


	3. Introducing the Situation

**Beauty and the Beasts**

*gong sounds*

Gokudera: …What's the point of this corner?

Me: Ahaha…Yeah, I just thought that since I have so many dedicated readers, I'd do something to appreciate them for reading this story! Anyway, welcome again to the Reader Appreciation Corner! *applause* This week's guest is Gokudera Hayato!

Gokudera: Che. *pulls out list* *reads off list in a monotonous voice* Thanks to everybody who read the last two chapters.

Me: At least say it with more enthusiasm! *sigh* Alright, moving on. Thanks to MakInAxAlicE, ZiaLiaLis, mogu95, Kichou, RoxasIsReal13 and Yorukifon for reviewing!

Gokudera: The author's appreciation goes out to Akuma Mame, Caithdean, kikyokyoyahibari, mogu95, MoyaMetalDango13, MissMom, GaaralovesMihoko, RoxasIsReal and Yorukifon for making this story a favorite.

Me: Last but not least, the newest story alerts! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! anonymousgirl028, AgentMia2011, Caithdean, Kichou, mogu95, Storm's Pride, Otakufanlover, GaaralovesMihoko and YamiNoRei.

Gokudera: Are we done? I'm leaving now. I have a feeling the rest of them need my help.

Me: Ah. Okay. Bye naoz! *waves* Ah. The disclaimer! I don't own KHR! But this story and plot is mine, so paws off.

* * *

**3: Introducing the Situation**

_"What are you doing in my office?"_

_A flat, emotionless voice startled the brunette. She whirled around, her brown eyes meeting cold blue-gray eyes._

_"Kamikurosu(4)." Hibari hissed, silver tonfas in hand._

Tsuna backed up against the window, feeling goose-bumps rise up on her arms as her warm palms pressed against the cool window panes. The cat Beast's eyes bore holes through her skull and Tsuna pressed further against the window, hoping, with all her might, that the window was strong enough to support her.

The cat Beast flicked his tail, his lips parting ever so slightly, revealing the sharp points of white fangs. He wore a cloak around his shoulders, black and knee-length. The silky material shone in the sunlight streaming through the window. Underneath…Underneath, he wore a simple pressed white shirt and black pants.

Suddenly, the black cloak was all that filled her vision as Hibari rushed her, his eyes murderous. She fell to the ground, Hibari's tonfa stopping just in front of the glass window, a few centimeters above her head. He leaned in close, and paused there for a long second, close enough that Tsuna could smell a sweet scent wafting off of him and feel his cool breath on her face. She felt her cheeks begin to burn and turned her head away, pushing her hands into Hibari's chest in a vain effort to push the intimidating boy away.

"Kufufu~. Hiba-pii, you're being selfish again…" Mukuro appeared in the doorway, trident in hand, smirk in place. His mismatched eyes challenged Hibari, who immediately forgot about the weak herbivore pressed against the window, his tonfas up by his face.

"For existing, I'll bite you to death," Hibari snarled, racing forward. Mukuro met him in the middle of the room and they began to dance.

Tsuna, taking this chance, crawled to the side, stumbling to her feet and nearly falling again as she reached the hallway. Luckily, the wall braced her and she managed to regain her balance. Turning around, she dodged to the side to avoid being hit by wooden furniture. Thoroughly freaked and confused, she started to run. Her breath was coming in quick gasps and she began to feel light-headed. Panic was starting to set in. _I want to go home! _She thought furiously, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Turning the corner, she crashed into Yamamoto, who was whistling happily, hands behind his head, fluffy dog tail swishing happily.

Tsuna stumbled into his chest and he took a step backwards, arms reaching out and steadying Tsuna by gripping her shoulders. His eyes widened when he caught sight of the tears flowing down Tsuna's cheeks. With his right hand, he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her silently, a strange, but not exactly unfriendly look, on his face.

"What's wrong?" Yamamoto asked quietly.

Tsuna sniffled, blowing her nose in the pale blue cloth. She couldn't find any words to say, but she began to feel safe again, with Yamamoto. Mukuro and Hibari were still lingering on her mind, but Yamamoto was probably the only guy she trusted completely. It must have been his happy-go-lucky smile, or the way he didn't press her when she didn't answer.

"C-Can I go home, please?" Tsuna whispered, her voice muffled by the handkerchief. Yamamoto's face darkened slightly, as he silently patted the brunette on the shoulder. Tsuna looked up, her eyes wide and her nose red.

"There's something that has to be explained to you," Yamamoto ducked his head, the shadows hiding his eyes. "And I'm not the best guy to explain it to you. Go find Gokudera. He should still be in the library."

Tsuna nodded slowly, a little mystified but not missing the way Yamamoto said Gokudera's name. There was something different about it, but she decided not to dwell too long. She wanted to go home and they were keeping her here. A little bit of anger began to smolder in her stomach as she turned away from Yamamoto, her face growing impassive. If Gokudera's explanation persuaded her to stay, she would stay. But if the silverette couldn't find a good reason to keep her here, she was leaving.

Yamamoto lead her to the library, their footsteps echoing in the hallway, covering the sounds of the metal on metal that grew fainter and fainter as they walked further and further away. However, Yamamoto only became alerted when he heard shattering. "There goes the window again," the black haired Beast muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Waruii na(1), Tsuna-chan," he said sheepishly. "I'm going to go check on Hibari and Mukuro. If Gokudera's not in the library, then he should be in his garden. It's a few doors down from the library," Yamamoto said before gently pushing Tsuna into the library. The door shut behind her and she froze.

Why?

Why was suddenly everything she had seen, had assumed, been turned upside down?

Trying to make sense of it all, she stepped forward, one foot in front of the other. She could hear the rustling of pages, quiet muttering and the scratching of a quill pen against parchment. She could hear the faint crackling of a fireplace and the loud crunch, followed by chewing.

"G-Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna peered around a bookshelf, her eyes widening slightly as she was confronted by a two stacks of thick books. Seated between the volumes, a stick of red bamboo in his hand, glasses slipping off his nose and his hair tied back, was Gokudera.

He looked up, quickly swallowing the last bit of his food and pushing his glasses back into place. "Ah, Tsuna," he grinned briefly before putting his quill down and half-standing. Tsuna shook her head.

"Am I bothering you?" she asked quietly, walking over and picking up one of the books. She flipped through it and she looked rather astonished. There were few pictures in the books. It was mostly words. Words she didn't understand.

"No," Gokudera smiled. "I can always make time for you. Is there anything you needed?"

Tsuna stayed silent for a little, wondering the best way to phrase her question.

"What's going on?" she finally asked.

Gokudera's hand, tracing the title of the book in front of him, paused as he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. Tsuna bit her lip, telling herself to be brave. If she was this important, he wouldn't hurt her. But then again, Hibari almost had.

"Who told you to ask me?" Gokudera's voice turned cold.

"Y-Yamamoto-kun…" Tsuna blinked.

Gokudera exhaled sharply, reaching into his pocket and pulling out another stick of bamboo. He stuck it in his mouth, nibbling and chewing, as he began to pace. "Damn it." He muttered quietly. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He turned to look at Tsuna, a rather wild look in his dark green eyes, wringing his hands. "Look, Tsuna," he began slowly. "I'm sorry, but I can only think of one person who can explain this well enough to you."

"…"

"He should be here already, so, if you'll come with me?" Gokudera tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Tsuna fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve, her head down and her eyes focused on the suddenly very interesting carpet.

"…Fine." Tsuna said, then realizing she had forgotten the promise she had made to herself. But he hadn't really offered her an explanation to begin with…

"Reborn-san?" Gokudera called out as he began to lead Tsuna to the back of the library.

Hearing that name made the girl stop in her tracks.

"U-Uncle Reborn?" she squeaked.

Gokudera stopped. "You know him?" his voice betrayed the shock he was feeling. A tall, thin man stepped out from behind a bookshelf, a fedora on his head, smirking as he twirled one of his curly side burns.

"Hello, my dear niece," he said. "I see you haven't been able to accomplish your job correctly. That package is still undelivered."

Tsuna flinched. "I-I got kidnapped," she muttered.

"No excuses," Reborn shook his head. "This is why you'll always be Dame Tsuna."

Tsuna pouted, her eyes downcast. It wasn't her fault! "…What did you want me to deliver anyway?" she muttered.

"Open the package," Reborn ordered. Gokudera stood against a bookshelf, a little awkwardly.

Tsuna reached into her apron and pulled out the white box. She held it up to her ear and shook it slightly. Reborn began to look impatient, so she quickly opened it.

Inside was a ring, a flame burning on it.

"That flame is the time limit on how long these Beasts have to live," Reborn said. "And Tsuna, only you can control it. The Beasts are under a curse, forced upon them by a witch. She gave them until the flame dies to find someone to save them. But she warned that only one could be saved. That choice is the one given to you today, Tsuna. Because you have Beast blood flowing through your veins, you were able to withstand the bamboo that Gokudera gave you. The flame is made up of human will to survive. Given that will, the receiver will live for as long as the giver does. The bamboo that Gokudera grows? It's a substitute. But they need to eat it every day, and lots of it, just to survive. But as their days grow shorter, the more they need the food. It won't last forever."

Tsuna looked down at the glowing flame in her palms. It wasn't even strong, but it wasn't exactly smoldering either. It was burning, but it was about the size of a large candle. "How long?" she whispered.

"A week." Reborn's voice was precise, almost unfeeling.

Tsuna looked up in anguish. "Why do I have to choose?" she whispered.

Gokudera stepped in, one hand half-way raised, as his voice, soft and comforting, tried to explain. "Because…you're our savior. Because you are part Beast and part human…" he murmured.

Tsuna remained quiet. Part Beast? Since when? She thought back to when her father had left to go to that mine where he worked. _Be strong, my little girl. Because you have the blood of the wilderness flowing through your veins. _Back then, she had thought he had been talking about himself. In a way, he maybe was, but Tsuna realized that her father's side of the family was completely mysterious. There was a possibility she had a Beast grandfather or grandmother. It was still mind-blowing, however. But in the past few hours (had it only been a couple of hours?), Tsuna had learned how to deal with shock.

"How do I choose?" her voice remained soft, her mind racing. This was unfair. Totally unfair. Why only one of them?

"Your heart will, Tsuna," Gokudera's eyes flashed. "The one that your heart is drawn to, the one that you love, the one that you truly love, will be the one that the flame will save."

* * *

I'm sorry that this chapter was a lot shorter than other chapters. But I think I ended it at a good place. :)

**So, how was it? Please review~~**

**Akai no Kumo**

**Japanese-English glossary**

(4)Kamikurosu - I'll bite you to death

(1)Waruii-na - Sorry


	4. Starting to Believe

**Beauty and the Beasts**

*cymbals*

Me: Okay, we're back with the Reader Appreciation Corner! I'm happy to announce that we have officially reached over TWO THOUSAND HITS! Keep up the good work people! Our special guest this week? Dino!

Dino: Yo. So, first off, the author would like to give a little announcement.

Me: I would? Oh yeah…I would. Haha… *sweatdrop* Anyway. So, I know I haven't been really good with this whole updating thing, but I was on vacation the entirety of July, so I have an excuse. Alright, I'll try and make this chapter EXTRA, EXTRA long to compensate and maybe even add in a little bit of fluff! =D

So, back to the real point of this corner. I want to thank EVERYBODY who read, reviewed and put this story under favorites and story alert while I was gone. The number is too massive, so I can't possibly thank everybody.

Dino: She's just gushing. This might go on for a while.

Me: And then those who put ME under author alert and author favorites, you have my eternal gratitude. =) So, that's it for this time's…er…Reader Appreciation Corner. And I want to dedicate this chapter to my best friend

Dino: And now for the disclaimer. The author does not own Reborn.

-x

**4: Starting to Believe**

_"How do I choose?" her voice remained soft, her mind racing. This was unfair. Totally unfair. Why only one of them?_

_"Your heart will, Tsuna," Gokudera's eyes flashed. "The one that your heart is drawn to, the one that you love, the one that you truly love, will be the one that the flame will save."_

"The one that I love?" the brunette murmured under her breath, holding the flame up to eye level. The fire was beautiful, dark orange, flickering and dancing, enticing her in. She dragged her eyes away from it and fixed them on Reborn.

Her uncle smirked before looking pointedly at Gokudera. The silverette took the hint, and needed no further prodding when he heard a shout of "EXTREME BAKING!" coming from the kitchen. "If you'll excuse me, I have to make sure Turf-head doesn't kill himself with the wooden spoon," he spoke condescendingly, scathingly as he stalked out of the library, ears pressed flat against his head.

"Uncle Reborn, why did you wait until now to tell me? You didn't have to wait this long. If you had just told me earlier, I would have had more time." Tsuna bit her lower lip, a heavy weight falling onto her shoulders. She sank to the ground into a kneeling position, the box holding the ring falling onto her lap and rolling a few feet away.

Reborn's eyes remained the same cool black, but his face seemed to soften, if just a little bit. "Your time limit is not my fault."

"Then whose is it?" Tsuna's voice turned bitter. "You were the one holding the ring. You could have given it to me at any time, but no…" It was then that Tsuna realized she cared for all the Beasts, cared for them so deeply it was a wonder how she never noticed this before. It was as if a door had opened in her heart, a door that had been locked away.

She frowned slightly, as images flashed before her eyes. They were faded and blurred, but she thought she could see a red eye, a lazily flicking cat tail, she thought she could smell bamboo soup cooking, or hear shouting and laughter. And just as quickly as they came, she lost them.

Reborn still hadn't answered her question, but Tsuna hadn't expected him to. "It's almost dinner time," he said and Tsuna blinked.

"Dinner time already?" she looked out the window and gasped softly. The sun had started to set, throwing the sky into a vista of brilliant red, purple, orange, yellow, with the clouds stretching themselves out as the blue sky peeked out from behind them. The rays from the sun threw themselves onto the water of the cove, dancing and making the water sparkle. Tears sprung to her eyes as Tsuna watched, speechless. Never had she seen a sunset as beautiful as this.

She pressed her hand against the glass, as if she wanted to be a part of the sunset. Something moved in her peripheral vision and she forced herself to stop looking at the sun and turn her head. It was Yamamoto and Ryohei down by the beach. They had appeared from a hole in the wall, a long table balanced between them. They nestled it down onto the sand as Gokudera appeared pushing a cart with silver dishes on it. Mukuro was behind the silverette, silverware and plates stacked expertly on his hands, a table cloth draped over his arm.

Even Hibari seemed to be helping. Well, he was just lighting the candles, but it was helping enough.

And there was another thing she noticed. All of them had changed their clothes. No longer were they the dark colored travel clothes, but these were nice: pressed white button up shirts, black pants, even shoes. Hibari still had his cloak on, Mukuro's hair was still in that pineapple shape, Gokudera still carried that dirty bag around with him, but it was an improvement. Curiosity struck repeatedly at Tsuna. Was this normal? Did they do this every night? And why, now of all times, were they acting civilized?

"Come on." Reborn's voice surprised Tsuna; she had momentarily forgotten her uncle was still there. "This feast is in honor of you. Don't expect it to last. There should be a selection of dresses for you to choose from in your room. I expect you cleaned up and presentable in twenty minutes."

"W-which one's my room?" Tsuna asked meekly as Reborn turned to leave.

"It's down the hall. When you reach the fork, turn left. It's the second one on the left side." With that, the man was gone.

-x

Tsuna couldn't bear this. She had tucked herself away in a little corner in the entrance that opened up to the beach on the cove. Her dress, the new one that had been laid out for her on her bed when she arrived in her room, seemed out of place on her.

Dark orange and made of some unrecognizable material, it had a large satin ribbon on the right strap, with a ribbon in the back. She thought the entire thing would make her look childish when she had first seen it, but after putting it on…

Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and peered out again, hoping that nobody would notice her. After all, Gokudera was shouting something at Ryohei, who was apparently not setting the silverware up right or something, while Hibari was just lounging in his chair, looking bored.

Yamamoto appeared to be clueless, holding a large silver platter with what seemed to be a whole turkey on it. Gokudera rubbed his temples, when Mukuro appeared, stabbing a piece of turkey on his trident and tasting it.

"You're all _useless_." The silverette snarled, taking the platter from Yamamoto and setting it down on the table. "Listen to me," he glared at the entire group until they all obliged. "Each place setting should be set in two rows. Start with the bread plate and drinking glasses. Set up left to right with the top row." He began to explain, demonstrating.

"Place the bread plate down first with butter knife. This plate will be to the top left of the dinner plate, at approximately 11 o'clock, if the dinner plate was the face of a clock. Next the coffee cup is placed to the right of the dinner plate at 1 o'clock. Then comes the water glass, to the top left of the coffee cup, at 1 o'clock of the cup." His voice was so business-like.

_Gokudera-kun's so capable! _Tsuna's eyes widened but then noticed how Yamamoto seemed to be getting the entire concept a lot quicker. Ryohei was looking down at his utensils before looking up.

"These utensils are EXTREMELY confusing!" he shouted.

"Kufufu~" Mukuro chuckled. "We should have just used chopsticks. Like. I. Said."

"I'm hungry. Get this thing going, or I'm going to bite you to death," Hibari said monotonously, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Then help, goddamnit," Gokudera threw a knife at Hibari, who caught it between his fingers, a slight smirk as he half-rose.

"Hii! Don't fight!" Tsuna was out of her hiding place before she realized what she was doing, running towards them, stumbling on the sand. Mukuro caught her as she fell forwards, lifting her back up to her feet. He brushed her cheek with his fingers.

"You're welcome," he smirked, just as his head was knocked to the side by a silver tonfa. "Oya, jealous, Hiba-pii?" Mukuro laughed.

Hibari glared at Mukuro before looking down at Tsuna, who cowered from his murderous expression. "Stay away from him," Hibari jerked his head towards Mukuro, refusing to look over in that direction.

"Dinner's ready, so let's hurry up before the food gets cold," Yamamoto came up behind Hibari, gripping the shorter Beast's upper arm with his strong grip, directing the cat towards his seat at the table. Hibari sat down sullenly, and Tsuna got the impression he was used to getting what he wanted and had been forced to attend this dinner.

She looked around for a seat for her to take, but there was only one left: the big ornate one at the head of the table. She shrank away, looking around wildly, wondering if maybe Reborn was going to take the big seat but as she's looking around, it finally sinks in. Reborn's literally thrown her to the dogs.

With a sigh, she sat down gingerly in the seat, cringing, as if it might explode at any moment. She sat down on the edge of the chair, unsure where to put her hands.

"Say a few words," Yamamoto laughed, as he patted Tsuna on the shoulder. He sat to her left, as he pressed his leg against her in comfort. Tsuna couldn't relax, however, when she noticed exactly how straight Gokudera was sitting, to her right.

Mukuro and Hibari sat next to Gokudera and Yamamoto, respectively and Ryohei occupied the last seat at the end, looking at the food with drool leaking out of the corner of his mouth.

"U-Um, what are we waiting for?" Tsuna bit her bottom lip, looking up at Yamamoto. The dog Beast chuckled.

"Well, I guess we can start then, if there aren't any objections." He looked around with that big grin still plastered on his face.

Gokudera muttered something that sounded remotely like, "Uncivilized imbeciles…" before going on a little rant regarding the dog Beast's mother as he whipped the covers off the three plates closest to him, claiming the plate of steamed bamboo and fish.

Yamamoto had already torn off a leg of the turkey and was gnawing on the bone viciously, his ears and his tail twitching happily. Tsuna looked down at the utensils on either side of her plate and felt somewhat discouraged. She didn't know how to properly use a fork and a knife. Which one was the salad fork? Which one was the soup spoon? Which knife was she supposed to use to cut vegetables? Was that knife different from the one she had to use to cut meat?

As all these questions swirled around her head, she realized that she didn't have an appetite. The food smelled delicious, but she just couldn't eat. She was worried. She was fretting. She was mad at the world because of the decision it had suddenly forced upon her. She didn't even know these guys and she was supposed to choose which one lived.

"Aren't you hungry, Tsunako-chan?" Mukuro said, around what looked suspiciously like a roasted mouse. Hibari was picking delicately at the bones of a whole tuna, dipping it in the sauce it had been garnished in. The cat looked up, his ears flattening slightly when Mukuro flashed a smug smirk in his direction.

"I-I'm starving!" Tsuna tried, unsuccessfully, to lie as she stabbed a piece of beef from a sizzling platter, putting it on her otherwise empty plate and nibbling the edges of the meat.

"EXTREME EATING!" Ryohei suddenly shouted, before plunging head first into the large egg tart he had dragged onto his plate. Tart flew everywhere as the kangaroo inhaled the cake, before moving onto other just as healthy treats.

"S-Shouldn't somebody stop him before he gorges himself to death?" Tsuna whispered weakly.

Nobody answered her, busy as they were with their food.

Tsuna leaned back in her chair, forgetting, momentarily, how expensive and nice it must be as she watched, as amusement flooded her, pushing the negative feelings out of the way as she tried to hold back spurts of giggles. Watching them eat was perhaps the funniest thing she had ever seen. They all ate like the animals they were.

Yamamoto gnawed his bones clean, even sucking out the marrow before moving onto more meat.

Gokudera was a vegetable person. He had hardly touched the meat, but he was already digging into a fruit tart, eating as neatly as possible. There was not a drop outside of his plate.

Mukuro ate, well, like an owl. He swallowed animals full, before turning to the side and regurgitating the fur and the bones. It would have been gross, but Tsuna was suddenly flying high.

Hibari ate like that cat that he was, expertly cleaning out whole fishes before moving onto furrier meat, always making sure to sprinkle just a tad of catnip on his food as seasoning.

Ryohei wasn't really eating like a kangaroo. He was eating like a maniac. Surrounding him was already empty plates and as his stomach grew bigger, so did his mouthfuls.

Tsuna smiled, finding her appetite again. The food _was _delicious. The seafood spaghetti was a favorite of hers and so was the big chocolate cake at the end, which Gokudera had Yamamoto and Ryohei help him bring out. Even Hibari and Mukuro had slices of the cake. Mukuro relented and allowed himself a second slice.

"Shouldn't chocolate be poisonous to dogs?" Tsuna directed the question at Yamamoto, who laughed, his laugh echoing against the soft sucking sounds of the waves lapping against the sand.

"I suppose," the dog Beast grinned. "But I'm not affected."

"None of us are," Mukuro leaned back in his chair, seeming rather content. Even Hibari appeared relaxed, as his tail flicked lazily from side to side.

The sun had set completely by now and it would have been dark, except for the torches that lined the curve of the cove and the candles on the table. It cast a flickering light over the Beasts and Tsuna, and it made the Beasts seem more sinister.

As Gokudera handed out batches of bamboo to last the night, Tsuna yawned and everybody turned in her direction. She froze, mid-stretch, before Hibari was by her side, already gripping her upper arm.

"H-hiii! Where are you taking me?" she squeaked as the cat began to lead her towards the entrance.

Hibari didn't answer.

Behind her, Tsuna heard someone sigh and then Gokudera say, "He's too possessive for his own good."

To which Mukuro replied, somewhat scathingly but with what seemed to be a droplet of truth, "To which we're all just a little bit jealous."

-x

"H-Hibari-san?" Tsuna stammered as the cat stopped in the middle of the hallway, suddenly, turning around. There appeared to be a rather vicious glint in his eyes as he leaned in close, trapping the girl.

His eyes flashed in the light of the torches that lit up the halls, as his tail wrapped around and tickled Tsuna's legs. She shivered slightly, trying to figure out a way to escape. But she knew that there was no luck. Hibari would let her go when he felt like it. Fear sank deep in the pit of her stomach as she struggled to remain calm. "There's another way," Hibari's voice, which, devoid of any threatening tones, seemed rather nice, broke the silence.

"Another way?" Tsuna blinked, puzzled. What was he talking ab—Oh. That.

"If you want to know," Hibari backed away all of a sudden. "Then take me with you when that man comes tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Tsuna narrowed her eyes. What man? Could it be Reborn?

But Hibari was gone, the tip of his black tail disappearing into the darkness that gathered around his office. Tsuna slid to the ground, her heart pounding as a blush crept up to her cheeks as she recounted what had just happened. His face had been so close…so close…

She buried her head in her dress, wrapping her arms tighter around her legs. Was this the beginning signs of love? But she didn't know if she _wanted _to save Hibari. She didn't know if she wanted to save any of them, to tell the truth. It was cruel, and cold, she knew, but she just wanted to chuck the flame out the window until it vanished in the sea, never to be seen again.

Then she could go home.

She wouldn't have to deal with this anymore.

She wouldn't have to be here, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by complete strangers who wanted to be protected from some horrible fate and just because she's the only one who can handle the stupid flame…

Footsteps interrupted her inner rampage, as she looked up, seeing the last person she expected to see: Ryohei. He wasn't looking at her, however. He was looking down the hallway and his face seemed to have calmed. There wasn't any of that EXTREME-ness going on at this moment.

"When you fall out of the ring," he began, almost as if he were talking to himself. "You get up and you keep going. Because, if you have something you're fighting for, then you're going to fight for it with all you've got. Otherwise, it's not worth fighting for." He paused, still not looking at Tsuna. "You can't control which opponent you're going to face. But you face him anyway, even if you know it's going to kill you. Because the reason you're fighting should be a reason that's good enough to die for."

With that, he, too, was gone.

Tsuna let the words sink in, and she realized what he was talking about. If she wanted to go home, if she wanted to get away, she was going to have to do it. She was going to have to find love in this godforsaken place and, even if it killed her, even if the choice tore her to pieces, she was going to choose one of them.

The enormity of the situation crashed down upon her, but she was prepared this time. Determination fired up her eyes as she got up off the floor, wiping her dress. When she walked back to her room, she walked with firmness.

Mukuro, standing in the shadows, smiled to himself. "Finally, she awakens," he murmured, and the pupil in his red eye began to flicker.

-x

**A/N: **Well, there you go! The latest installation of Beauty and the Beasts. I hope it made up for all those lost weeks. *scratches head* Anyway. Favorites, reviews, even critiques are welcome.

Akai no Kumo


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